Transport operator receives Australia Day honours

BY DANIELLE GULLACI

THE man behind a Sydney-based charity and trucking operation, Amar Singh, says it’s a “huge honour” to be named the 2023 Australian of the Year Local Hero.

Singh’s Australia Day honour comes after he was named NSW Local Hero at the NSW 2023 Australian of the Year Awards in November. He also presented an Australia Day address in Western Sydney, where he shared his inspiring story.

“For somebody who landed here 25 years ago, working for the betterment of society, I was crazy happy to get the NSW Local Hero honour. To get the Australian Local Hero is such a huge honour but it was also great to be able to meet all of the other local heroes too. I’m dedicating my year to working with each of the state recipients because I think every charity and every issue people raise is a worthy cause,” explained Singh.

He came to Australia in 1998 at the age of 15, from Punjab in northern India; and became an Australian citizen in 2000.

After experiencing racial slurs and insults because of his Sikh turban and beard, he wanted to show people they didn’t need to be afraid. With that in mind, he launched his charity Turbans 4 Australia in 2015. Its goal is to help struggling Australians. At first it was a small group of volunteers working together to help local causes. Now it is a national charity with over 300 volunteers.

Last year he expanded on this by launching the charity’s logistics arm, Green and Gold Charity Logistics, all while running his own transport company too.

The Green and Gold Charity Logistics trucks are used to pick up bulk donations and get them quickly to wherever it is that they are needed.

Along with his charity work, Singh has had a long career in trucking, that started when he bought his first truck – a rigid – in 2004. He moved into general freight, including local and interstate work and his business has been doing tipper work, delivering road mix for the past eight years.

But with Singh’s charity work taking off, he’s now looking to downsize his own transport operation so he can dedicate himself to his cause full time.

Every week, Turbans 4 Australia packages and distributes up to 450 food and grocery hampers to people experiencing food insecurity in Western Sydney. He uses his trucking experience to keep everything running smoothly.

The charity also raises awareness and funds for important causes while promoting multiculturalism and religious tolerance. But the organisation is best known around Australia for transporting emergency goods to those in need.

Turbans 4 Australia has delivered hay to farmers experiencing drought; supplies to flood victims in Lismore and bushfire-impacted people on the South Coast; food hampers to the isolated and vulnerable during Covid-19 lockdowns; and supplies to the Salvation Army in central Queensland in the devastating wake of Cyclone Marcia.

Singh says things have been “crazy busy” with Turbans 4 Australia and Green and Gold Charity Logistics and hopes that his recent honour can help to further his cause.

He is now operating out of three warehouses, including a Sydney facility, along with a new Melbourne warehouse that has just opened in Thomastown, and an additional location in Woodburn, in NSW’s Northern Rivers region – the latter of which will act as a hub for the next six to eight months. Additionally, a food van has been running in Brisbane since July last year.

Green and Gold Charity Logistics has two of its own rigids with tailgates. The 8-tonner is based in Sydney, and a smaller 6 tonne truck is located in Woodburn.

Penske has also been supporting the charity by offering free prime mover and rigid rentals to support its relief works, since 2019.

But with operations continuing to ramp up, Singh is hoping to raise enough donations to purchase a larger truck and semi trailer. “We’re looking for support. We also want

WE ALSO WANT TRANSPORT COMPANIES TO KNOW THAT IF THEY HAVE DAMAGED STOCK, NOT TO THROW IT AWAY – GET IN TOUCH WITH US. OFTEN WHEN PEOPLE WRITE FOOD ITEMS OFF DUE TO PALLET DAMAGE, IT’S STILL PERFECTLY GOOD PRODUCT.” AMAR transport companies to know that if they have damaged stock, not to throw it away – get in touch with us. Often when people write food items off due to pallet damage, it’s still perfectly good product,” he explained. Adding to his busy schedule, Singh is also working towards getting another Harmony Day up and running in March. He joined forces with high-profile truckie Mike Williams to hold the industry’s first Harmony Day last year, with plans now taking shape for the next event.